By Andrew Stefanilo
The No. 6 University of Maine football team is off to its best start in team history at 9-1, with a perfect 6-0 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Black Bears escaped an upset by the University at Albany Great Danes 33-27 this past Saturday to keep their conference record unblemished.
“I’m really pleased with the win,” head coach Jack Cosgrove said. “We have a ton of respect for Albany. It’s a tough road trip for us; it’s probably the toughest one we take.”
The Black Bears had lost to Albany three out of the past four times they’ve played until the close victory over the weekend.
“We have a history with Albany,” Cosgrove said. “We know them better than anybody in our league having played them the last four years, this being the fifth.”
Senior quarterback Marcus Wasilewski continued his solid year, throwing for 231 yards and three touchdowns. The eventual game-winner was to senior wide receiver John Ebeling, who had two touchdowns on the day.
Redshirt freshman Christophe Mulumba had a career day defensively when he racked up 19 total tackles. He also received the Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week award for the second straight week and his fourth overall this season.
“You got to play the game,” Cosgrove said. “We found ways at the end of the game to get the win.”
The win was a historic one for UMaine, who are off to their best start in school history.
“Last year we lacked experience,” Cosgrove said. “Last year our seniors got experience in the CAA and they know how to play the game.”
The Black Bears will have to put the win behind them when they face the University of Rhode Island on Saturday for their final home game.
“We need to continue to look at this one week at a time and not get ahead of ourselves,” Cosgrove said.
This will be Rhode Island’s last game because they haven’t had a bye this season.
“It’s a big game for them, being their last game,” Cosgrove said. “Rhode Island is looking [to] have a winning feeling, they want to win the game and have that great feeling.”
The Black Bears have more at stake this weekend, with the possibility of an undefeated home and conference record on the line to go along with a chance to clinch the CAA title.
The Rams are 3-8, 2-5 in the CAA, this season and are coming off three straight losses, the last one being a 45-0 blowout to Villanova University. They should be hungry to spoil the Black Bears’ season.
The Rams notched a 19-13 win against Albany and a 12-10 victory against Richmond University earlier in the season, two teams that the Black Bears had some trouble with. It won’t just be an easy game for UMaine on Saturday.
The senior day will be a big one with so many seniors contributing to the team’s success this season.
“It’s an opportunity to recognize and thank [the seniors] for what they’ve done for the program,” Cosgrove said. “Everyone who plays this game always remembers their last game at home and the walk off the field after; is it a victorious one or the ugly alternative?”
The game is set for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff this Saturday, Nov. 16.